Island



in'iirEn s'rArEs PATENT oEEioE.

RICHARD SALISBURY, JR., OI PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

MODE 0F CNSTRUCTING HERNIAL TRUSSES;

Specification of Letters Patent No. 451, dated November 4, 1837'.y

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD SALIs/BURY, J r., of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and luseful Improved Truss for the Relief of Those AfHicted with Inguinal and Scrotal Hernia, of which I declare that the following is a full and exact description.

The hoop A, as represented in the anneXed drawing, is made of iron or steell of suiiicient width and thickness to retain its required shape. To render the hoop applicable to either .an inguinal or scrotal rupture, I make it square about three inches in length from the end for a single truss, and about six inches for a double one. I then make a ratchet wheel O, with a square hole through it to lit the square of the hoop. This wheel is made of steel or other metal. There is a piece of brass or other meta-l bent around the wheel O, as shown by C, in the drawing. two or three inches in length, and on the end of it is the joint F. The spring I, made of steel or other metal is ailixed to the brass C as shown in the drawing, for a two-fold purpose, viz., the upper end of the spring is a pawl to the ratchet wheel O, and the lower end to operate as a spring on the joint F.

B is the back of the pad. This is made of silver or other suitable metal, around the edge of which I pierce a number of holes, by the means of which the cloth or leather which is the covering of the pad K is sewed to the back of the pad. In the back B is the aperture Q., through which the surface of the pad is distended or reduced, at pleasure. The lid H, covers this aperture. I make the joint E, near the foot of the pad, for the purpose of allowing it to bend. At the lower end of the pad, I place the screw and nut Gr by which the pad is fastened to the piece of brass C. The pad can be turned either to the right or left on this screw and nut G. On the inner side of the piece of brass C, I place the spring P, which bears upon the top part of the pad, for the purpose of keeping a uniform pressure on the rupture, whether the same is in the groin or at the scrotal ring. The belt N passes around the body. That part of it Which covers a part of the hoop is padded. The

This piece' of brass extends tongue of the belt passes through the loop L, which is fastened to the end of the hoop by the stud M, which stud is also used to fasten the belt to.

Inv using the above described truss, the

patient is to lit the hoop to his `shape by bending it as the case may require. This done, he slips the square end of the hoop through the square hole in the ratchet wheel, with the pad toward him and so as to bear upon therupture, the loWer part resting on the pubis. I-Ie turns the pad Ato the right or left on the screw and nut G, until it is over the rupture, yand the joint in the pad enables him to sit or bend in any posture with ease, the springs I and P, preserving an equal pressure of the pad on the rupture at all times. The stud and loop are then inserted in the end of the hoop, the strap passed around the body, through the loop and is fastened to the stud.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The square part of the hoop and the square aperture through the ratchet wheel, in combination, as `above specified. By means of the two last named items, the pad and its accompanying parts can be moved to the right or left, as the particularcase may require, and the truss itself adapted for a rupture on the right or left groin, `by merely drawing the stud and loop, and turning the pad and its accompanying parts.

2. The aperture through the back of the pad, by which the surface of the pad is distended or reduced, at pleasure.

3. The joint in the pad.

4). The joint and 'spring on the piece-immediately above the pad, by means of which the patient wearing it can sit or stoop with ease.

5. The spring l as Yabove specified, which keeps a. moderate and uniform pressure of the pad on the rupture whether 4in the groin 

